Queen's Indian
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| Moves | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | E12–E19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Indian Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym(s) | QID | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Queen's Indian Defense (QID) is a chess opening defined by the moves:
The opening is a solid defense to the Queen's Pawn Game. 3...b6 increases Black's control over the central light squares e4 and d5 by preparing to fianchetto the queen's bishop, with the opening deriving its name from this maneuver. As in the other Indian defenses, Black attempts to control the center with pieces, instead of occupying it with pawns in classical style.
By playing 3.Nf3, White sidesteps the Nimzo-Indian Defense that arises after 3.Nc3 Bb4. The Queen's Indian is regarded as the sister opening of the Nimzo-Indian, since both openings aim to impede White's efforts to gain full control of the center by playing e2–e4. Together, they form one of Black's most well-respected responses to 1.d4.
4. g3 (E15–E19) has long been White's most popular line against the Queen's Indian. It contests the long diagonal by preparing to fianchetto the light-squared bishop. The standard response for Black through the 1970s was 4...Bb7, but 4...Ba6 has since become the topical line. A rarer third option is 4...Bb4+, which aims to exchange the less useful dark-squared bishop, though this line tends to leave Black with a slightly passive position.
White can defend the pawn at c4 with a piece by playing 5.Nbd2, 5.Qa4, 5.Qc2 or 5.Qb3, but these moves all diminish control of d4, making ...c7–c5 an effective reply for Black; therefore 5. b3 is White's most common response. However, it weakens the dark squares slightly, which Black can take advantage of by playing 5...Bb4+. Now 6.Nbd2? loses material after 6...Bc3 7.Rb1 Bb7 threatening 8...Be4, an opening trap which has ensnared players such as Kamran Shirazi. White's best move is therefore 6. Bd2. However, after 6...Be7 7. Bg2 c6 Black is ready to play ...d7–d5, again attacking the c-pawn. If White plays cxd5 then ...cxd5 is considered to equalize for Black. Thus White usually plays 8. Bc3 to clear this square, and the main line continues 8...d5 9. Ne5 Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. Nd2 0-0 12. 0-0 to maintain central tension. The effect of Black's check has been to lure White's bishop to c3 where it blocks the c-file. This, the current main line of the Queen's Indian, is considered equal by theory and became a frequent guest in grandmaster praxis in the 1980s.
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